TGPSC Daily Current Affairs - 29th December 2025
Source: Deccan Chronicle
Relevance:
GS Paper II – Governance & Social Justice (Health) | GS Paper III – Human Development
Important Key Concepts for Prelims and Mains:
For Prelims:
- Malaria, Vector-borne Diseases, Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs), Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs), Disease Surveillance, Primary Health Centres
For Mains:
- Public Health Governance, Disease Elimination Strategies, Preventive Healthcare, Migrant Health, Decentralised Health Delivery, SDG-3
Why in News?
Telangana has reported a steep decline in malaria cases over the past decade, with annual cases falling from nearly 14,000 in 2014 to around 260–270 cases in 2024–25. The improvement comes amid national efforts to eliminate malaria, with India recording a 97% reduction in cases.
Malaria Burden in Telangana: Trends
- 2014: Nearly 14,000 cases
- 2016–2018: Annual cases reduced to 1,000–2,500
- 2024: 261 cases
- 2025: 270 cases
The data indicate a sustained downward trajectory, particularly after 2022.
Malaria
- Malaria is a life-threatening vector-borne disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
- There are five species of Plasmodium that cause malaria in humans. Among them, P. falciparum and P. vivax pose the greatest threat.
- Malaria is predominantly found in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, South America, and Asia.
- The mosquito becomes infected after biting an infected person. The parasites then enter the bloodstream of the next person bitten, travel to the liver, mature, and later infect red blood cells (RBCs).
- Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, such as shaking chills, headache, muscle pain, tiredness, and anaemia.
- Malaria is both preventable and curable.
- Preventive measures include use of mosquito nets, repellents, wire mesh on doors and windows, and prevention of stagnant water.
- Treatment involves timely administration of antimalarial drugs.
Key Interventions Behind the Decline
1. Vector Control through LLINs
- Distribution of over 7.5 lakh long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets since 2022
- Significantly reduced mosquito-human contact and transmission
2. Strengthened Surveillance
- Nearly 40 lakh screenings conducted annually
- Village-level screening using Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) by Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs)
3. Early Diagnosis and Prompt Treatment
- Immediate initiation of treatment at Primary Health Centres
- Follow-up testing after one week to ensure complete recovery
Causes of Malaria Transmission in Telangana
Malaria transmission in Telangana is driven by two distinct factors:
1. Indigenous Transmission in Endemic Areas
- Occurs in forest-covered and tribal-dominated districts with favourable mosquito breeding conditions
- Linked to:
- Stagnant water bodies
- Limited access to healthcare in remote areas
- Climatic suitability for Anopheles mosquitoes
2. Imported Cases through Migrant Labour
- A significant proportion of cases are brought in by migrant workers, particularly from high-burden neighbouring states such as Chhattisgarh
- In Bhadradri Kothagudem district, nearly 50% of reported cases are among migrant labourers
- These imported infections pose a risk of re-establishing local transmission if surveillance weakens
Surveillance and Treatment Architecture
Telangana follows a decentralised public health model, where frontline workers detect cases early and ensure treatment continuity. This has reduced complications, secondary transmission, and mortality.
District-wise and Migrant-linked Challenges
- Nearly 50% of cases are concentrated in Bhadradri Kothagudem district
- A large share involves migrant labourers, especially from Chhattisgarh
- Sporadic cases reported in Asifabad and Mulugu
- Urban areas report minimal transmission
This highlights the role of population mobility in sustaining residual malaria.
Challenges Ahead
- Managing imported cases linked to migration
- Sustaining high surveillance levels as cases decline
- Preventing resurgence due to complacency or climate variability
Way Forward
- Cross-border coordination for migrant health screening
- Continued LLIN coverage and indoor residual spraying in endemic pockets
- Community awareness and behaviour-change communication
- Integration of malaria surveillance with digital health platforms
Conclusion
Telangana’s success in reducing malaria demonstrates the effectiveness of preventive public health strategies, decentralised surveillance, and community-level interventions. Sustained vigilance, especially among migrant populations, will be crucial to achieving zero indigenous malaria and ensuring long-term elimination.
CARE MCQ
Q. With reference to malaria, consider the following statements:
- Malaria is a vector-borne disease transmitted by the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
- Among the Plasmodium species infecting humans, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax pose the greatest threat.
- Malaria parasites directly infect red blood cells immediately after entering the human body.
-
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
- Statement 1 is correct: Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites and transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
- Statement 2 is correct: Of the five Plasmodium species that infect humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax are the most dangerous and widespread.
- Statement 3 is incorrect: After entering the human body, malaria parasites first travel to the liver, mature there, and only then infect red blood cells.
Source: The New Indian Express
Relevance:
GS Paper – III, Economy – Capital Market – Infrastructure Bonds
Important Key Concepts for Prelims and Mains:
For Prelims:
- Infrastructure Bonds; Types of Infrastructure Bonds; CRR & SLR Exemptions; InvITs; Green Infrastructure Bonds
For Mains:
- Role of infrastructure bonds in infrastructure financing; Asset–liability mismatch; Bond market deepening; Comparison with InvITs; Risks and regulatory framework
Why in News?
The state-run Bank of India (BoI) has raised ₹10,000 crore through the issuance of infrastructure bonds, receiving bids worth ₹15,300 crore against a base issue size of ₹5,000 crore, reflecting strong investor confidence in long-term infrastructure-linked debt instruments.
What are Infrastructure Bonds?
Infrastructure bonds are long-tenure debt securities through which issuers raise funds for capital-intensive infrastructure projects such as:
- Roads and highways
- Railways
- Airports and ports
- Power and energy systems
- Urban infrastructure and water systems
Investors lend money to the issuer and, in return, receive periodic fixed coupon payments along with repayment of principal at maturity.
Maturity / Tenure
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allows banks to issue infrastructure bonds with a minimum maturity of 7 years.
- Typical tenures range between 10 to 15 years, and may extend further.
- Public Sector Banks (PSBs) dominate issuance due to regulatory incentives and government backing.
Types of Infrastructure Bonds
- Government Infrastructure Bonds: Issued by the Centre, States, or agencies such as NHAI and state infrastructure corporations.
- Bank-Issued Infrastructure Bonds: Issued mainly by PSBs; enjoy CRR and SLR exemptions, lowering funding costs.
- Institutional Infrastructure Bonds: Issued by specialised institutions like IREDA, PFC, REC, IRFC.
- Green Infrastructure Bonds: Target environmentally sustainable projects such as renewable energy and climate-resilient infrastructure.
Why Do Banks Issue Infrastructure Bonds?
- Reduction of Asset–Liability Mismatch (ALM): Infrastructure loans require long-term funding, while bank deposits are largely short-term.
- Regulatory Cost Advantage: CRR/SLR exemptions make these bonds cheaper than deposits.
- Support for Government Infrastructure Push: Enables financing of large-scale national infrastructure pipelines.
- Strengthening Financial Markets: Diversifies funding sources and deepens the long-term bond market.
Benefits to Investors
- Stable Returns: Fixed coupon payments ensure predictable income.
- Portfolio Diversification: Low-risk debt instruments reduce volatility compared to equities.
- Nation-Building Role: Investors directly contribute to financing critical national infrastructure.
Risks Associated with Infrastructure Bonds
- Interest Rate Risk: Rising rates can reduce bond attractiveness.
- Liquidity Risk: Limited secondary market trading restricts early exit.
- Credit Risk: Higher for bonds issued by lower-rated or private entities.
- Inflation Risk: Fixed returns may not keep pace with inflation over long periods.
Infrastructure Bonds vs Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs)
| Aspect | Infrastructure Bonds | Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) |
| Nature | Debt instrument | Trust-based investment vehicle |
| Returns | Fixed interest | Market-linked distributions |
| Risk | Low (PSU/Govt-backed) | Moderate |
| Tenure | Fixed long-term | No fixed maturity |
| Liquidity | Limited | Listed and tradable |
| Regulation | RBI & SEBI | SEBI (InvIT Regulations, 2014) |
Significance
- Supports infrastructure-led economic growth.
- Helps banks manage long-term lending efficiently.
- Reduces pressure on deposit-based funding.
- Strengthens India’s corporate bond market.
- Aligns with long-term investment needs of pension funds and insurers.
Way Forward
- Enhance secondary market liquidity for infrastructure bonds.
- Encourage greater retail and institutional participation.
- Promote credit enhancement mechanisms.
- Align infrastructure bond financing with green and sustainable finance goals.
Conclusion
The successful infrastructure bond issuance by Bank of India reflects growing investor confidence in long-term infrastructure financing. Such instruments are crucial for bridging India’s infrastructure funding gap, reducing banks’ asset–liability mismatches, and deepening the country’s bond market while offering stable returns to long-term investors.
UPSC PYQ
Q. Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2023)
Statement-I: Interest income from the deposits in Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) distributed to their investors is exempted from tax, but the dividend is taxable.
Statement-II: InviTs are recognized as borrowers under the ‘Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002’.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
- Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-1
- Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-1
- Statement-1 is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
- Statement-I is incorrect Statement-II is correct
Ans: D
CARE MCQ
Q. Which of the following best explains the primary rationale for banks issuing infrastructure bonds?
A. To avoid RBI regulation
B. To raise short-term funds at variable interest rates
C. To align long-term infrastructure lending with stable funding sources
D. To eliminate inflation risk
Answer: C
Explanation:
Infrastructure bonds provide long-duration funds that help banks reduce asset–liability mismatch arising from long-term infrastructure loans and short-term deposits, while also supporting infrastructure development.
Source: The Hindu
Relevance:
GS Paper III – Science & Technology, Economy, Energy Security, Environment
Important Key Concepts for Prelims and Mains:
For Prelims:
- Rare-Earth Elements (REEs), Lanthanides, Scandium, Yttrium, Bastnäsite, Monazite, Solvent Extraction, 4f Electrons, Neodymium-Iron-Boron Magnets
For Mains:
- Critical Minerals, Green Technologies, Strategic Supply Chains, Midstream Processing, Environmental Externalities, China’s Refining Dominance
Why in News?
Rare-earth elements (REEs) are receiving global attention because they are indispensable for green technologies, electronics, and high-performance magnets, yet their separation and refining are technologically complex, environmentally sensitive, and heavily concentrated in China. As countries push for energy transition, securing rare-earth supply chains has become a strategic priority.
What are Rare-Earth Elements?
Rare-earth elements (REEs) are a group of 17 metallic elements in the periodic table. Chemists generally include:
- 15 lanthanides: from lanthanum (La) to lutetium (Lu)
- Scandium (Sc) and yttrium (Y), which share similar chemical properties and occur in the same mineral deposits
In most classroom periodic tables, the lanthanides are shown as a separate row beneath the main table, while scandium and yttrium are placed in Group 3, near the transition metals.
Why Are They Called “Rare”?
Despite their name, rare-earth elements are not extremely scarce in the Earth’s crust. Some, such as cerium, are as abundant as copper. However:
- They occur in low concentrations
- They are mixed together in the same minerals
- They are chemically very similar, making separation difficult
As a result, extracting and purifying individual rare-earth elements is technically complex, energy-intensive, and expensive. Their “rarity” is therefore economic and technological, not geological.
History and Terminological Confusions
The term “earth” comes from early chemistry, where it referred to oxide powders. Many rare-earth elements were first identified as oxides that could not be easily reduced to pure metals.
The term “rare-earths” is often used loosely:
- Some use it to mean only lanthanides
- Others incorrectly include strategic or critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, gallium, or germanium
While these elements are strategically important, they are not rare-earth elements, leading to conceptual confusion in public discourse.
Technological Importance of Rare-Earth Elements
Rare-earth elements are crucial because of their unique electrical, magnetic, and optical properties, which underpin many modern technologies.
Permanent Magnets
- Neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets are the most widely used rare-earth magnets
- Used in electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, generators, robotics, and consumer electronics
Lighting, Optics and Electronics
- Phosphors in LEDs and displays use europium and terbium
- Lasers and fibre-optic systems use neodymium and erbium
- Other applications include catalysts, glass, ceramics, and polishing powders
Magnetic Chemistry Behind Rare-Earth Magnets
The exceptional magnetic properties of rare-earth elements arise from their 4f electrons:
- These electrons are highly localised, staying close to the nucleus
- Unlike other electrons that spread out in chemical bonds, 4f electrons retain strong magnetic moments
A good permanent magnet requires:
- High magnetisation – many atomic magnetic moments aligned
- Stability – resistance to heat, vibration, and opposing magnetic fields
Rare-earth atoms provide both. Their 4f electrons also exhibit magnetocrystalline anisotropy, meaning they strongly align with preferred crystal directions. This “pins” the magnetisation, allowing motors and generators to function efficiently even at high speeds and temperatures.
Rare-Earths as Phosphors and Optical Materials
Rare-earth elements are also excellent phosphors:
- Energy is supplied at frequencies absorbed by 4f electrons
- The electrons get excited and then re-emit energy at a fixed wavelength
Because 4f electrons are shielded by outer electrons, their energy levels are not greatly affected by the surrounding crystal. As a result:
- The emitted light is sharp and stable
- Colours are precise, not broad mixtures
This makes rare-earth phosphors ideal for lighting, displays, lasers, and fibre-optic communication.
Mining of Rare-Earth Elements
Economically viable rare-earth deposits are found in limited pockets, not uniformly distributed. Companies target minerals such as:
- Bastnäsite
- Monazite
- Certain ion-adsorption clays, where rare-earth ions are loosely bound
Mining is usually open-pit, involving:
- Large-scale excavation and crushing
- Bulk movement of ore
- High water and chemical use
Environmental complications arise early because:
- Some ores occur alongside thorium or uranium, making waste rock radioactive
- Chemical processing requires acids and bases
Rare-Earths vs Oil: Why Processing Is Strategic
Both crude oil and rare-earth elements must be extracted and processed before use, but the similarity ends there.
- Oil refining relies on fractional distillation, exploiting differences in boiling points. It is efficient, flexible, and allows refineries to swap feedstocks and trade intermediates.
- Rare-earth processing, by contrast, starts with solid mixtures of many chemically similar elements that must be separated to very high purity.
A magnet manufacturer needs a specific rare-earth oxide or metal of precise purity. If even one element is missing or impure, it cannot be substituted by another. This inflexibility makes rare-earth processing strategically sensitive.
Midstream Processing: The Core Bottleneck
The most challenging part of the rare-earth value chain lies between mining and manufacturing.
- Beneficiation – crushing and grinding ore, separating valuable mineral grains using flotation, magnets, or gravity
- Chemical cracking – breaking minerals using strong acids, bases, or high temperatures
- Leaching – dissolving rare-earth ions into an acidic solution
- Solvent extraction – repeatedly contacting the solution with organic solvents that preferentially bind certain ions
- Differences between ions are tiny
- Separation requires many repeated stages
- Precipitation and calcination – recovering rare-earths as solids and heating them to form rare-earth oxides
- Reduction (if required) – converting oxides into metals
This midstream stage is energy-intensive, capital-heavy, and technologically demanding.
Environmental and Safety Concerns
Rare-earth processing generates significant environmental risks:
- Radioactive waste from thorium and uranium
- Hazardous acidic and alkaline effluents
- High water consumption
If wastes are not properly treated, captured, and recycled, they can contaminate soil, groundwater, and ecosystems.
China’s Dominance in the Global REE Chain
Because midstream processing is so arduous, a country can possess large rare-earth reserves yet remain dependent on others for refined products.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey:
- Global reserves exceed 90 million tonnes (REE-oxide equivalent)
- Major reserves:
- China: 44 MT
- Brazil: 21 MT
- India: 6.9 MT
- Australia: 5.7 MT
- Russia, Vietnam, USA, Greenland
(Estimates exclude scandium)
China dominates processing:
- ~91% of global separation and refining
- ~94% of sintered rare-earth permanent magnet production
In December, Japan announced plans to extract rare-earth-rich mud from 6 km underwater near Minamitori Island in early 2026, reflecting efforts to diversify supply.
Why the World Is Racing for Rare-Earths
Green technologies—such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, and efficient generators—depend on high-performance rare-earth magnets. As a result:
- Countries are shifting focus from approving new mines to building refining and magnet-making capacity
- Control over midstream processing has become a matter of economic security and geopolitical influence
Conclusion
Rare-earth elements are indispensable to modern and green technologies not because they are geologically rare, but because they are difficult to separate, environmentally challenging to process, and concentrated in a few countries. In the coming decades, mastery over refining and manufacturing, rather than mining alone, will determine technological leadership and energy security in a low-carbon world.
UPSC PYQ
Q. Consider the following statements: (Prelims 2025)
Statement I:
Some rare-earth elements are used in the manufacture of flat television screens and computer monitors.
Statement II:
Some rare-earth elements have phosphorescent properties.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
- Both Statement I and Statement II are correct and Statement II explains Statement I
- Both Statement I and Statement II are correct but Statement II does not explain Statement I
- Statement I is correct but Statement II is not correct
- Statement I is not correct but Statement II is correct
Answer: A
CARE MCQ
Q. Consider the following applications:
- Permanent magnets
- Phosphors in display screens
- Wind turbines and electric vehicles
- Petroleum refining catalysts
Which of the above involve the use of Rare Earth Elements?
- 1 and 2 only
- 1, 2 and 3 only
- 2, 3 and 4 only
- 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: D
Explanation:
- Permanent magnets – Rare earth elements like Neodymium are used to make high-strength Nd-Fe-B magnets.
- Phosphors in display screens – Elements such as Europium, Yttrium, and Terbium are used in LEDs, TVs, and monitors.
- Wind turbines and electric vehicles – Rare earth magnets and lanthanum-based batteries are critical for clean energy technologies.
- Petroleum refining catalysts – Lanthanum and Cerium are widely used as catalysts in oil refining.
